Joint for steering wheels



Dec, 19,. 1922. 1,439,002.

v F.H.J0URDAN.

JOINT FOR STEERING WHEELS.

FILE-D MAR. 7,192].

Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

UNITED STATES FBEDEBIOEK H. JOURDAN, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

JOINT FOR STEERING WHEELS.

Application filed larch 7, 1921. Serial No. 450,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. J0me DAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburgh and Stateof Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jointsfor Steering Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering wheels for automobiles and othervehicles and it has for its objects, first, the provision of a wheelmade in sections glued or cemented at their joints and so formed or cutwhere the ends of the sections join each other that the sections willresist their tendency to separate in a direction radially crosswise ofthe wheel should the glue or cement not hold; second, to provide a noveljoint for the sections of a wheel which is formed of wood, the jointbeing particularly adapted for use on a steering wheel of an automobileor the like.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is fully described hereinafterand shown in the accompanying drawings and the novel features of thesteering wheel and joint are set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel made according to' myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of one of the joints, dotted linesrepresenting features which are covered up.

Fig. 3 is an outer edge View of one of the joints.

Fig. 4 is an inner edge view of the mortised section of the join j Fig.5 is an inner edge view, of the tenoned section of the joint; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the tenoned section of the joint.

The steering wheel shown in Fig. 1 may comprise as many wooden sections1 as desired but it is preferably formed of eight sections which areconnected by the novel joint I have devised. The wheel is shown'ascarried by any suitable frame or spider 2 for its connection to thesteering shaft or column of the automobile but said spider constitutesno part of my invention.

One end of each section 1 is rovided with a mortise 3 and the other enof each section has a tenon 4. The sections 1 being rounded, forinstance, oval or elliptical in cross section, as usual, the edges ofthe mortised end of the section, in each instance. are concave as shownat 5 and the edges of the tenoned section are convex as shown at 7 andfit into or match with the rounded edges 5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ends of the mortised section are beveled from the points 8 to 5 asindicated at 9. The inner end of the mortise 3 is formed with convergingwalls'as shown at 10. The width of the mortise 3 at the inner face ofthe section 1 is narrower than the width thereof at the outer face, thusforming a taper for a purpose which will presently appear.

The tenon 4 is shaped to correspond to the mortise 3, being providedwith converging walls 11 which receive the beveled ends on the matingsection 1, the bevels 9 engaging the walls 11. The inner face of thetenon a is narrower than the outer face and the walls 12 taper to fitthe walls of the mortise 3.

The overlap or scarf joint provided by the Walls 9 and 11, in connectionwith the mortise and tenon, affords a very strong resistance to lateralbreaking or bending. The tapering of the walls of the mortise 3 andwalls 12 of the tenon 4 prevents the disconnection of the sections ofthe wheel crosswise of the latter should the glue or cement becomeloosened or not hold. Any suitable glue, cement or adhesive is used tocoat the parts of the joint where faces thereof contact.

Each of the sections 1 may be made out of a single piece of wood, ifdesired.

I claim:

1. A butt end joint for steering wheels or the like comprising a sectionprovided with a single mortise having walls with beveled ends or facesflanking the entrance to the mortise and converging walls at the innerend of the mortise, and a single tenoned section having partscorresponding to and fitting the parts of the mortised section.

2. A butt end joint for steering wheels or the like comprising a sectionprovided with a single mortise having walls with beveled ends or facesflanking the entrance to the mortise and converging walls at the innerend of the mortise. and a single tenoned section having partscorresponding to and fitting the parts of the mortised section, the

.mortise and tenon being provided with converging sides whereby theseparation of .the joint laterally of itself is prevented.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

FREDERICK H. JO DAN.

